Electric switch.



G. H. HART.

ELECTRIC SWlTCH. APPLICATION FILED otr. 29. I9I4.

Patented May 9,1916.

IIIIIIIIII C, wit comm'. I W N GEORGE H. HART, OF lWEST HARTFORD,CONNECTICUT.

ELECTRIC SWITCH.

. Application led October 29, 1914.

To all `whom t may concern Be it known that I, GEORGE H. HART, a citizenof the'United States, residing at Vest Hartford, Hartford county, Stateof Connecticut, have invented certain new and useful Improvements inElectric Switches, of which the following is a full, clear, and exactdescription.

My invention relates to improvementsn electric switches and has for itsobject to produce a simple and effective switch for controlling anelectric circuit.

It also has for its object to produce a switch which is compact in formand of large carrying capacity relatively to its size.

The following is a description of an embodiment of my invention,reference being had to the accompanying drawing, in-

which Figure 1 shows the switch completein side elevation. Fig. 2 showsthe same with half the casin removed. Fig. 3 shows a transverse sectlonof the base of the switch and parts carried thereby, on the line 3 3,Fig. 2. Fig. 4 shows a transverse Section on the line 4-4, Fig. 2. Fig.5 is a detail plan view of the base of the switch. Fig. 6 is aperspective* view of the actuating member, and Fig. 7 is a transversesectional view of a modified form of one of the elements.

Referring more particularly to the drawings, 1 -is a cylindrical casinghaving cap pieces 2 2 provided with bushings 3 3 through which liexiblecords constituting the portions of the circuit to be controlled arepassed. Within this casing is an insulating linin 4 4,'within whichy isa base 5 of insulatmg material. This base has secured to it adjacent toits edges two spring contacts each of which is made of two similarspring members 6 6 held to the base by screws 7. 'l

These screws pass through the base and` into the terminal plates 8,which are provided with binding screws 9. The base is provided with arecessed portion in which lies a tubular member 10. This tubular memberis of metal and thus constitutes a conducting element. Its ends extendso that they lie in the planes of the two contacts 6 6, and when in oneposition form an electrical connecting path between the two contacts andin moving to the other position break the electrical cornection betweenthem. This tubular member 10 carries within it ,balls 11, which areactuated by springs 12, the

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented May 9, 1916.

Serial No. 869,209.

springs tending to force the balls toward the center of the tubularmember. The springs are held in position by properly upsetting the endsof the tube. The tube is provided with slots which extend parallel tothe axis thereof and throughv these slots extends a flat sheet metalactuator 13 having oppositely sloping cam surfaces 14. The actuator alsohas permanently secured thereto buttons 15 which are of such size thatthey will not pass through the longitudinal slots in the tubular member.The tubular member is placed upon the central portion of the actuatorand the balls and springs assembled so that the actuator lies betweenthe two balls as vshown in Fig. 3. The tubular casing 1 holds the base 5and actuator 13 in proper position relatively to each other and alsoforms guides for the actuator in its to and fro movements.

The operation of the switch is as follows: If, with the parts in theposition shown in Fig. 2, the right-hand button 15 ispressed, theleft-hand cam surfaces 14 force the balls 11 apart against the action oftheir springs 12 until the summit of the cam surfaces is reached,whereupon the springs force the balls 11 inward causing he tubularmember to move quickly to the right with a snap action. vVith the partsas they were originally, the tubular member 10 electrically connectedthe contacts 6 6', and 6 6. When these contacts are electricallydisconnected after the action just described, pressure upon theleft-hand button 15 sufficient to throw the actuator to the right,causes the tubular member 10 to be thrown .to the left in asimilarmanner to that above described, so as to again make electricalcontact with and connect the spring contacts.

The actuator is preferably formed with its heads 15 molded thereon. Inorder that this may be done before any other assembling takes place, itis necessary to have the tubular member so constructed that the tubularmember and actuator can be assembled after such molding takes place. Inorder to provide for this, I slit at least one end of thel vto interferewith the I insert therein a disk or washer 16 before the ends of thetubular member are crimped over.

Another modification 'of the tubular member where it may -be readilyassembled with the actuator after the heads 15 have been appliedthereto, is shown in Fig. 7. In that construction the tubular member ismade in two halves, 10*102, that is, the tubular member is dividedlongitudinally throughout its full length. The edges of these halves arecut awa in the center so as to forni the openings Il; for the actuator.The two parts of this tubular member are held together by ferrules 18whose iiiturned edges will hold the springs land balls 11 in place. Inassembling this form of tubular member with the actuator, the two partsare placed about the actuator, the balls and springs are filled in andthe end caps 18 then applied so as to hold the parts together.

The conducting member 10 is located between the points at which thecontacts 6 are secured to the base 5 by the screws 'i and the points a'twhich the conducting member fwigages said contacts. This is accomplishedby bending each contact to one side so as not movement ofthe conductingmember and then bending the end of the contact backward toward thefastening so that it is engaged by the conducting member when in one ofits positions. This form of contact has the capacity of readilyyielding, the point of engagement with the conducting member being ineffect, although not in fact, removed for a considerable distance fromthe point at which the contact is secured.

As will be evident to those skilled in the art, my invention permits ofvarious mbdiications in its embodiment without departing from the spiritthereof orthe scopeJ of the appended claims.

W'hat I claim is:

i. In a switch, the combination of a base, contacts secured thereto, anelongated tubular conducting member for ,electrically connecting anddisconnecting said contacts, said contacts being located in line withoppositie ends of said tubular member and said member having slotsextending parallel to its axis, a` longitudinally movable actuatorhaving oppositely sloping cam surfacesand passing through said slots,the axis of said actuator being at right angles to the axis of saidtubular conducting member, and spring actuated means within said tubularmember l engaging the cam surfaces of said actuator, and a tubularcasing for said base having its axis at righiL actuator, and through thesides ofwhich said actuator protrudes said casing consti-v tuting aguide for said actuator and holding said actuator and base in properposition relative to each other.

2. In a. switch, the combination of a base, contacts secured thereto, anelongated tubular conducting member for electrically connecting anddisconnecting said contacts, said vcontacts being located in line withopposite ends of said tubular member, and said member having slotsextending parallel to its axis, a longitudinally movable actuatorhavangles to the axis of said ing oppositel)7 sloping cani surfaces andv cated 4between the points at which said contacts are secured and thepoints where it engages said contacts;4

3. In a switch` the combipation of a base,

a contact engaging member movable rela tively to said base and a contactmember secured to said base, lthe portions of said contact member whichare respectively engaged by said contact engaging member and secured tosaid base being on opposite sides of said contact engaging member. l

4. In a switch, the combination of a base, a contact engaging membermovable rela* tively to said base and a contact member secured to saidbase, the portions of said contact member which are respectively engagedby said contact engaging member and secured to said base beingon'opposite sides of said contact engaging member, the end of saidcontact member carrying the portion engaged by said contact engagingmember being turned backward toward the portion secured to said base.

GEORGE H. HART.

Witnesses:

HARRY A. HART,- SYLVIA C. MOODY.

Copies o! this patent may bo obtained for Eve cents each, 'b yaddressing the Commissioner of atnti.

Washington, D. 0."

